Conflicting Motives
by Arcaenia
Summary: When did mystery become attractive? Onesided Tseng/Aeris oneshot


_Hello, thank you for stopping by. My first fic, so enjoy! Critique is always welcome.  
_

_Arcaenia_

--

At first, he told himself that he simply found her interesting – unique, even. She was mysterious, certainly, with Ancient powers and the smell of earth clinging to her boots and her hair, and in slums as desperately poor as those in Midgar, she had rarely stopped smiling.

Tseng had always hoped to be assigned the task of finding her – not because it was a chance to do his job well, but because seeing her meant he could see flowers, if he was lucky. She would often be found in the Sector 5 church, the light streaming through the roof and heightening the atmosphere so much that Tseng could almost have sworn that he, too, heard the planet's voice.

Reno was given the job last time, but he had also failed to capture her. Tseng remembered, altogether too vividly his complaints, cigarette dangling perilously from his mouth, about some "…fucking airhead ruining it all," before he dashed off to discuss something urgent with Rude.

Even the appearance of a door – Surveillance Room – did little to disrupt Tseng's musings.

Whatever the reasons, Tseng could not deny any more that his heart lurched when the Promised Land cropped up in conversation, or that he had an irresistible urge to maim something every time Hojo gloated over his plans for his newest specimen.

Hojo had realised, damn him. It was the way he rose his eyebrows whenever Tseng requested better treatment for her – contempt, disdain and scorn fighting to associate themselves with such a human weakness as love-

Tseng caught himself out at that. Whatever this was, it most certainly was not love.

Before he knew it, he had swept into the room, scaring its occupant out of sleep, and waited silently for him to work out that his presence was no longer needed.

The door had barely clicked shut when Tseng moved towards to bank of monitors, searching…there. He had done this so often that his eyes already knew where to look.

And there she was – but not alone.

Surrounded by assistants, wincing every time needles were shot into her arms, connected to diagnostic machines and being watched constantly by Hojo who scribbled feverishly on his clipboard, Aeris' gaze landed on the camera in the uppermost corner of the room. Tseng was by now so close to the screen that his eyes were watering, but he was transfixed by the pain in her eyes, and fear, and – completely illogically – hope.

What had Reno said his name was? Cloud? Perhaps he would break in and save Aeris – what Tseng found so troubling was how badly he wanted it to come true.

She hadn't understood in the helicopter, when he gave her a blanket, that that was the only way he knew to show her that someone in Shinra cared about her. She had deliberately turned away, murmuring "Of course you'd want me safe. I'm your precious specimen."

Something else caught Tseng's attention – people crowding into a lift. They must have used a passcard that was reported stolen, and had set off an alarm; two men and a woman, flagged on the president's Wanted list.

It seemed to be his voice that filled the room when the audio switch was pressed;

"…poor planning, that's what it is. Why do they have to build these things so damn tall? Damn Shinra…"

"Still smarting over the stairs, Barret?"

"Huh. I still say we shoulda gone through the front door-"

"We don't want to cause a ruckus until we know Aeris is safe – and keep your voice down!"

That was the proof Tseng would have needed, but he hesitated to call Security. He was watching floor 78 again.

By this point, Aeris' knees had collapsed and she was kneeling on the floor, held upright by assistants checking her pulse, checking responses, shining lights in her eyes, asking questions –

"That's enough for today- take the Ancient back to the cell! Goodnight, my dear specimen…"

Left alone, she had curled up on the floor, and tried to stop shaking.

"Cloud…please. Hurry up."

--

Tseng paced his office, wondering just how much he was going to be punished, ironically, for doing nothing at all, when Rude burst into his office.

"Tseng! Sir! Intruders have captured the Ancient!"

"Do you know their planned escape route?"

"The floor 66 lift, sir."

"Very well. Carry on, Rude…was there something else?"

"I was told to accompany you to the lift."

Damn. Damn. Damn. He'd forgotten Reno was too injured to work. He hadn't planned on being the one to capture Aeris again. At least she knew her companions had attempted to rescue her…

--

"Aeris, wake up. Something's wrong."

"Huh? Why is the cell door open?"


End file.
